Conveyer stacker and trailing conveyer



July 27, 1954 S. M. MERCIER CONVEYER STACKER' AND TRAILI NG CONVEYERFiled Feb. 21. 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet l /le 7a //vvE/v7-o/e; STANLEYM-MERCIER BY wai /4%.

ATTY.

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CONVEYER STACKER AND TRAILING CONVEYER Filed Feb. 21, 1950 4Sheets-Sheet 2 ATT 3 July 27, 1954 s. M. MERCIER CONVEYER STACKER ANDTRAILING CONVEYER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 21, 1950 //v VEN To/e;STANLEY M-MEEOER BY July 27, 1954 s. M. MERCIER CONVEYER STACKER ANDTRAILING CONVEYER Filed Feb. 2 1950 m I x Q on M Y //A Wu /N.Y g i a SATTK Patented July 27, 1954 CONVEYER STACKER AND TRAILING CONVEYERStanley M. Mercier, Bexley, Ohio, assignor to The Jeffrey ManufacturingCompany, a corporation of Ohio Application February 21, 1950, Serial No.145,501

Claims. 1

This invention relates to a stacker system and an object of theinvention is to provide an improved system involving a stacker boommounted on a tractor for swinging movement about an upright axis at itsrear or receiving end and also mounted for longitudinal movement, to:which stacker boom a trailing conveyor is attached to move rectilinearlytherewith, the rear or receiving end of the stacker boom being suspendedfrom the front end of the head section of the trailing conveyor forswinging movement about an upright axis.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the abovementioned type in which the head section of the trailing conveyor isprovided with front and rear frame supporting axles preferably providedwith individually operable crawler type traction means at opposite endsof said axles adapted to propel the trailing conveyor rectilinearly andto guide it.

Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus as abovementioned in which one or more jacks, such as hydraulic jacks, areemployed to adjust the trailing conveyor head section relative to atleast one of the axles so as to maintain the conveyor head sectionframelevel transversely as the unit moves over uneven} ground.

A further object of the invention is to provide a suspendinginterconnection between the head section of the trailing conveyor and threceiving section of the boom above mentioned, whereby the boom may beswung on a horizontal axis by means preferably involving a turntablewhich is adjustable to a substantially horizontal plane and in a morespecific aspect there is a chute associated with the turntable to guidematerial discharged from the trailing conveyor head section to thereceiving end of the stacker boom.

A further object of the invention is to provide various control devices,such as control switches, between the frame and at least one of theaxles of the conveyer head section and in the most specific aspect ofthe invention there are three sets of these control switches, or thelike, one set controlling the maximum angular swing between said axl andframe on a longitudinal horizontal axis, another controlling the swingbetween said axle and frame on an upstanding axis, and anothercontrolling the up and down movement of the frame relative to said axlealong said upstanding axis.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novelfeatures and combinations being set forth in the'appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

" trailing conveyer having a head section I l.

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevational view of aninstallation incorporating features of my invention, showingparticularly the stacker boom and its association with the head sectionof a trailing conveyer;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational View showing one of the tractiondevices supporting the front of the trailing conveyer head section andalso showing the suspending connection between the front of said headsection and the rear or receiving end of the stacker boom;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2, looking inthe direction of the arrows, with certain parts omitted;

Fig. i is an enlarged sectional view showing particularly th turntablesuspension connection between said trailing conveyer head section andthe receiving end of the stacker boom and also showing a materialguiding chute associated, therewith;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view, with parts omitted and parts brokenaway and with other parts shown in section, showing particularly theconnection between the trailing conveyer head section frame and thefront axle or axle assembly;

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the structure of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the head section of the trailing conveyer;

Fig. 8 is a plan view showing particularly one of the crawler tractiondevices in association with the front axle or front axle assembly of thetrailing conveyer head section; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 99 of Fig.5 looking in the direction of the arrows, certain parts being showntherein in elevation.

The conveyer stacker system herein disclosed, which incorporatesimportant aspects of my invention, includes a stacker I!) attached to aThe stacker [0 includes a stacker boom or main frame [2 having a head ordischarge pulley I3 over which the material, such as waste dirt or thelike, is discharged and a tail or rear end pulley 14, between whichpulleys i3 and M an endless power driven belt I5 extends which may bedriven in any desired manner from a driving motor, such as an electricmotor, or the like.

Generally centrally of the frame or boom l2 there is a supportingtractor l6 which supports said boom I2 and which may be operated toswing it through a large arc as well as to support it while it is movedrectilinearly forwardly or rearwardly and while material is dischargedover the head pulley l3. The general arrangement of the tractor if andboom 12 may take any desired or recognized form. For example, it mayfollow the construction disclosed in my application, Serial No.74,348,1iled February '3, 1949, now Patent No. 2,632,558, dated March24, 1953.

The trailing conveyer head section it constitutes the head section of avery long trailing belt conveyer which, for example, may have a lengthin excess of one thousand feet, the rear portion of the trailingconveyor including, for example, a frame ll (see Fig. 1) mounted uponspaced wheels I3 adapted to ride on rails l9. Said trailing conveyeralso includes an endless belt 20 which travels over a foot or tailpulley at the rear end of the trailing conveyerinot shown) and over ahead pulley 2! at the front or head end of the head section I i.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings the return run of the belt 2%is preferably reeved about a plurality of drive pulleys 22 which arepower driven. The belt 2G is sup-ported on spaced troughing idlers 23,many of which are carried by the head section If and others by thetrailing portion of the trailing conveyer substantially throughout itsentire length.

One form of construction, particularly of the rear portion of thetrailing conveyer, which may be employed, together with mechanism forloading it, is disclosed in the application of Gust Weggum, Serial No.80,695, filed March 10, 1949, now Patent No. 2,554,077, dated May 22,1951.

As illustrated particularly in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, thetrailing oonveyer head section ll preferably is positioned above therails or track 59 and is supported entirely independently thereof, withthe trailing portion of said trailing conveyer pulled along said rails19 as the complete system advances forwardly, between which intermittentforward movements the stacker l9 swings through a desired arc todischarge its dirt.

The trailing c-onveyer head section ll generally resemble a crocodileand includes an elongated generally horizontal frame 24 which slopesslightly upwardly and forwardly, as best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 ofthe drawings. Frame 24 is fabricated from longitudinally, vertically,diagonally and transversely extending angles, plates, channels and thelike. Of particular significance is the fact that it includes a pair ofbolster and axle or axle frame assemblies which are of similarconstruction, except for differences hereinafter mentioned, there beinga forward or front bolster and axle assembly, as seen particularly inFigs. 2, 3, 8 and 9 of the drawings, which includes a front axle or axleframe 25, the generally similar rear bolster and axle assembly includingaxle or axle frame 26 (see Fig. 7).

As clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, at the front end ofthe trailing conveyer head section ii there is a bolster 27 comprising atransversely extending box like member built up of plates and angleswelded together, as illustrated in Fig. 9 of the drawings. The bolster2'! may carry a level indicating device 28 responsive to the transverselevel of the head section I I, which device may operate upon the sameprinciple as the leveling device shown and described in United StatesPatent No. 2,101,837, to L. E. Blanchett.

Adjacent the transverse center of the frame 24 the bolster 27 isprovided with a heavy downwardly extending pivotor king pin 29 rigidlyattached to the bolster 2i and providing a pivotal and slidingconnection with a trunnion 30 (see Fig. 9) which provides a pivotalconnection to the axle or axle frame 25 through forward and rearwardcooperating bearings 31 carried by removable forward and rearward plates34, this pivotal trunnion connection being along the longitudinal axisof the trailing conveyer head section H and being substantiallyhorizontal.

As clearly illustrated in Fig. 9, the bottom of the king pin 2% isjournaled on an upright axis in the trunnion 38 so as to provide forrelative swinging movement between the frame 26 and the axle 25 aboutsaid upright axis. Furthermore, this pivotal connection provides forlimited relative up and down or vertical movement between the king pin29 and the trunnion 38 by virtue of the fact that the vertical dimensionof the trunnion 3d at the point of connection is less than the distancebetween top and bottom limit plates 32 and 33 carried by thisinterconnecting portion of said king pin 28 and said trunnion 3B.

As hereinafter described more completely, this vertical or up and downmovement is provided between the king pin 29 and the trunnion 3!) sothat under normal conditions the load on the front portion of the headsection 1 i will be transmitted to the front axle or axle frame 25through tilted controlling jacks. The rear axle or axle frame 25preferably receives its load from the conveyer head section frame 25directly through the rear king pin which is similar to king pin 29.

Extending upwardly from the central portion of the trunnion til is acylindrical sleeve 35 to which a strap 35 is removably attached by apair of U-shaped bands 2?. The strap 35 carries control devices 38 atopposite ends thereof, said control devices illustrated being electricalswitches with projecting operating levers or arms adapted to be operatedby operating mechanisms carried by the axle frame 25 which, asillustrated, are adjustable angle brackets 35. The angle brackets 39 areadapted to operate the switches 38 selectivel in any case where therelative tilt or angular movement of the frame 2 with respect to theaxle 25 on the longitudinal horizontal axis of trunnion 3 reaches apredetermined angle on either side of the right angle relation, assuggested by Fig. 6 of the drawings.

Above the strap- 36 the sleeve 35 carries a disc like plate is which onone side is provided with adjustable projecting finger 2! adapted selectively to actuate control devices in the form of forward and rearwardswitches d2 carried by the bolster 27 and projecting downwardlytherefrom, said switches 62 having operating levers or arms adapted tobe selectively contacted and operated by the finger ll whenever thefront axle frame rotates in either of opposite directions through apredetermined angle from a position transversely of the longitudinalaxis of the head section 5 l.

The disc or plate 412 carries a rearwardly extending projecting plate 53(see Figs. 5 and 9) adapted to abut the bottoms of a pair of spacedupright rods dd which are mounted for vertical sliding movement in apair of upper and lower brackets 35 and 35 attached to the rear of thebolster El and housed within a housing d7 which is open at the bottomand is removably attached to the rear of said bolster 2?. Spring means38 cooperates with the rods 16 to maintain their bottoms in contact withthe plate 43.

Adjacent the bottoms of the rods M there is a bracket 69 rigidlyattached to said rods, upon wh ch a Selsyn transmitter 59 is mounted.The rotor of the Selsyn transmitter 59 is operated by a cable 5|, theopposite ends of which are attached to the plate 49 (see Fig. 5), whichcable 5! drives a pulley 52 keyed to the rotor shaft of the Selsyntransmitter 59. Angular movement of the axle assembly about the uprightaxis of the king pin 29 therefore produces rotary motion of the rotor ofthe Selsyn transmitter 59 which is part of a telemetric system, thereceiver of which may be located adjacent an operators station, therebyindicating the angular position of the front axle 25 relative to a truetransverse position.

One of the rods i4 is also provided with a pair of stops 53 whichoperate control device in the form of lever operated switches 54 (Fig.9) carried by a bracket 55 (see Fig. 5) attached to the bolster 2?. Incase the king pin 29 moves to its lowermost position, as illustrated inFig. 9, the upper control switch 54 will be actuated. Should said kingpin 29 be elevated to its uppermost position relative to the trunnion 39the lower switch 54 will be actuated.

As hereinafter described more completely, the rear end of the stacker I9is suspended from the front of the head section H. Consequently some ofthe load on said stacker I9 is carried by the front axle 25. Preferablythis load is transferred through the frame at of the head section if tothe front axle frame 25 through a pair of double acting hydraulic jacks56- (see Fig. 3), one on each side of said frame 2 and axle 25. Theupper and lower control switches 5 control the operation of jacks 56 andthese hydraulic jacks 56 are preferably normally expanded to such anextent that no compression load is transmitted from the bolster 21 tothe axle frame 25. Under these circumstances the rods M will have theirstops 53 so positioned that neither of the con trol switches 5 isactuated but each said switch will be in its normal or neutral position.This eliminates the necessity of a heavy thrust bearing to take the loadbetween the relatively adjustable front axle 25 and the bolster 2'5,

It is, of course, obvious since axle 25 is swingable upon an uprightaxis relative to the head section frame 24 that opposit ends of thehydraulic jacks must be pivotally connected to the frame 24 and the axle25, respectively. To this end universal ball and socket joints 5'! areprovided to interconnect the upper and lower ends of both of thehydraulic jacks 56 to the head section frame 24 and axle frame 25,respectively.

It may be stated that the rear axle frame 26 is preferably connected tothe head section frame 24 through a bolster and associated king pin andtrunnion mechanism similar to that above described and disclosed inFigs. 5, 6 and 9 of the drawings, except, however, the control switches54 and their operating mechanism are eliminated and there are no jackscomparable with the jacks 56. As a consequence, at the rear end of thehead section I I there is a direct bearing transfer between the bolster(similar to bolster 2'5) and the axle frame 26. This load is transferredthrough a king pin plate similar to the plate 32 and the cooperatingbearing surface on the central portion of the trunnion similar totrunnion which is provided with appropriate lubrication or greasegrooves as illustrated in Fig. 9 of the drawings. The load transferredat this point is not as heavy as that transferred to the front axle 25.

At their opposite ends the front and rear axle frames 25 and 26 carrysubstantially similar selfpropelled traction units 58 which, asillustrated, are of the crawler type, including endless crawlers 59adapted to have direct contact with the ground. It is to be understoodas within the scope of my invention in some of its aspects to employother types of ground engaging traction means, such as one or more powerdriven pneumatic tired wheels, or, in some instances the head section itmay be mounted upon rails and rail engaging traction wheels provided forsupporting said head section and feeding it along a generallyrectilinear line.

The traction units 58 are, per se, of essentially standard design andeach includes a longitudinally extending frame ournaled at substantiallythe center thereof on a stub axle 539 (see Fig. 8) which projectslaterally from the box-like portion of the axle frame 25 or Thus each taction unit 58 is free to pivot on a transversely extending generallyhorizontal axis. The lower run of each endless crawler 5% travels over aplurality of load transferring wheels 6! and each endless crawler 59 isdriven from a rear driving sprocket through appropriate reductiongearing including a speed reducer 62 driven from an electric motor 63.

It may be mention d that in Fig. 3 of the drawings only one of thedriving motors and drive gearing is shown, it being understood that thetraction unit 59 on the right hand side is a complete unit which issubstantially a duplicate of that on the left hand side. It is evidentthat if one of the traction units 58 at one end of either of the shafts25 or 26 travels at a different rate from that at the other end thetendency will be te swing the shaft 25 or 23, as the case may be, aboutits upright axis and to guide the associated portion of the head section5 l in one direction or other away from the strictly rectilinear orstraight ahead direction of travel. In other Words, the steering of thevery heavy elongated trailing conveyer head section H is effected bywhat is the equivalent of a four wheel steer, since all of the tractiondevices have a steering characteristic.

It is evident from the description so far given that the stacker l9 andthe trailing head section H are intended to travel over the ground whichin some instances may be a soil or refuse pile which has been formed bya preceding run of the apparatus. The various pivotal movements andadjusting mechanism above described are designed particularly to keepthe trailing head section It level transversely as the head sectionand/or the stacker move over uneven ground. The rear portion of thetrailing conveyer is maintained substantially level since it travels ontracks I9 which may be laid and maintained in a substantially levelposition. As previously suggested, in some instances it may be desirablealso to mount the trailing conveyer head section ll on rails, in whichcase some of the control mechanism, including the steering and levelingmechanism, may be eliminated. Certain features of the above describedconveyer apparatus, the supporting mechanism and control mechanismtherefor is described and claimed in my co-pending application, SerialNo. 215,499, filed March 14, 1951, now Patent No. 2,642,984, dated June23, 1953.

As previously mentioned, the rear end of the stacker boom or main framei2 is supported from the front end of the trailing conveyer head sectionI! by being suspended therefrom, this suspending mechanism providing forfree swinging movement of said stacker l relative to said head section Hon an upright axis. To this end there is a circular turntable supportingframe 64 (see Figs. 2 and 4) having a pair of side brackets 65 by whichit is pivotally mounted on the front end of the frame E i and laterallyof the head pulley 2! by pivot means 66 for swinging movement on anormally horizontal transversely extending axis. Hydraulic cylinder orjack adjusting means 67 interconnects the rear end of the frame 84 andthe frame 2% for swinging movement of said frame $5 on said transverseaxis. Frame (it also carries a rack or bracket 68 upon which a levelindicating device 6% is mounted which may follow that disclose in PatentNo. 2,101,837, to L. E. Blanchett above identified.

It is obvious that by adjusting the jack E1 the turntable frame 66 maybe maintained in a longitudinal horizontal position. As previouslydescribed, the frame 24 is intended to be maintained in a transversehorizontal position. Consequently the turntable frame 6:3 will normallybe maintained horizontally along both the longitudinal axis of the headsection 1 i and the transverse axis thereof.

R-igidly attached to the frame 64 there is a circular, arcuate or ringtype track it on which a turntable ii is supported for free swingingmovement about an upright axis. The turntable l'l includes a bull ring"12 having a plurality of stub axles, one of which is seen at E3 (seei), which carry tapered rollers M adapted to roll on the upper taperedsurface of the circular track ID. Suspended from the bull ring 12 is afabricated framework "55 which constitutes the supporting framework bywhich the rear end of the stacker frame 52 is suspended from the headsection ll through the turntable frame 6 1 and the turntable H.

The framework 15 carries a plurality of flanged rollers 15 which contactthe lower and inner surfaces of the track it? and hold the turntable onsaid track Til while permitting it to rotate relatively thereto. Ifdesired, two or more flanged rollers may be carried by the framework '55and roll on the inner surface of the track 10, being mounted on saidframework '15 on upright axes as compared to the horizontal axes uponwhich the rollers iii are mounted.

Extending downwardly from the bull ring 12 and below the discharge headpulley 2i of the trailing conveyer head section II there is a chute Hwhich guides the material discharged over said head pulley 21 onto theconveyer 15 near the tail pulley Hi of the stacker [0. The feed chute11, as well as the framework 54 and bull ring 72 will, of course, rotatewith the stacker frame [2, to which they are rigidly connected.

In the operation of a typical complete installation involving myinvention, material to be removed, such as the overburden of a coal oriron ore open pit, or dirt to be transferred in the construction of adam, retaining wall, or the like, will be fed to the trailing conveyersomewhere rearwardly of the head section II thereof by any desiredmeans, such, for example, as that disclosed in the Weggum Patent No.2,554,077, above identified. The material will be conveyedlongitudinally rectilinearly forward through the head section 5 l anddischarged from the belt over the head pulley 2!, from where it will bedirected by the chute H to the belt 15 of the stacker ill adjacent therear or tail pulley M thereof. The material will be conveyed by theconveyer belt l5 and discharged over the head 8 shaft l3 of the stackerit. As illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the system is dischargingma terial while making a return run. That is, the system will graduallymove to the right, having previously formed a soil pile by having movedto the left, as viewed in Fig. 1. As the material is discharged over thehead pulley it the boom it will be swung through an are which may be ofthe order of more or less; this swinging movement being about an uprightaxis provided by the turntable ii, etc.

Between successive swings of the boom 10 or simultaneously therewiththere will be rectilinear feeding, either forward or rearward, of thecomplete trailing conveyer including the head section H, depending uponwhether the system is moving forward to form a soil stack or isprogressing rearwardly from a previously formed stack. In either case,the rectilinear feeding of the system along the longitudinal axis of thetrailing conveyer, including that of the head section M, will beeffected by the traction units 58 which also can steer the trailingconveyer head section it so as to turn it during its generallyrectilinear longitudinal movement.

As illustrated in Fig. l of the drawings the trailing conveyersupporting rails l9 extend forwardly of the trailing head section i i,but under some conditions the reverse of this will be true and saidtrailing co veyer head section Ii will extend in part or entirely beyondthe forwardmost ends of said rails 59 which will provide for greaterlatitude of turning movement thereof. Control means is provided tomaintain the trailing conveyer head section H in substantiallytransverse horizontal position at all times regardless cf theirregularities of the surface over which the traction devices 58 aretraveling within certain reasonable limits.

The transverse stability imparted to the trailing head section ii is, ofcourse, transmitted to the boom frame i2 through the turntable H, etc.Control mechanism in the form of the several switches and 52 is providedto indicate whenever undesirable angular relations exist between theaxles and the frame 2%. The specific system by which these controls areutilized is the subject matter of my co-pending application Serial No.185,425 filed September 18, 1950.

As hereinbefore mentioned, the hydraulic jacks 53 are preferablynormally expanded to such an extent that no compression load istransmitted from the bolster 2? to the axle frame 25, and, under thesecircumstances, neither of the control switches is actuated, and each isin its normal or neutral position. It will, of course, be seen thatshould the bolster 2; move downwardly along the upright axis of king pin29 that the stops on one of the rods id will actuate the upper switch 52which will cause the jacks 56 to expand and lift the frame 26 andbolster 21 upwardly and away from the axle 25. When the bolster hasmoved upwardly a predetermined distance, the upper switch 5 will beoperated to its normal or neutral position and hydraulic fluid underpressure will no longer be fed to said jacks 5S and upward movement ofthe frame 24 and bolster 2? will cease. Of course. if for any reason thebolster 2i moves upwardly along the axis of king pin 29, thereby causingactuation of the upper switch then the jacks 56 will be operated tolower the bolster 2'1.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in thedetails and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, andapplicant therefore wishes not to be restricted to the preciseconstruction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of the invention, what itis desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A conveyer stacking apparatus, including a stacker boom, tractormeans for supporting said boom and for swinging it about an upright axisnear its material receiving end, a trailing conveyer including a headsection having an elongated generally horizontal frame, means supportingsaid head section frame and operable to move it forwardly along itslongitudinal axis including longitudinally spaced front and rear axleseach having traction means at opposite ends thereof, means suspendingthe receiving end of said stacker boom from the front end of saidtrailing conveyor head section for relative swinging movement about anupright axis, said last named means including an arouate track, meanspivotally supporting said track from said head section frame foradjustment on a transverse horizontal axis, power operated jack meansfor adjusting said track on said axis to maintain it substantiallylevel, and roller means carried by said stacker boom and cooperating toroll over said track as said stacker boom swings.

2. A conveyor stacking apparatus, including a stacker boom, tractormeans for supporting said boom and for swinging it about an upright axisnear its material receiving end, a trailing conveyer including a headsection having an elongated generally horizontal frame, means supportingsaid head section frame and operable to move it forwardly along itslongitudinal axis including longitudinally spaced front and rear axleseach having traction means at opposite ends thereof, and meanssuspending the receiving end of said stacker boom from the front end ofsaid trailing conveyer head section for relative swinging movement aboutan upright axis.

3. A conveyor stacking apparatus, including a stacker boom, tractormeans for supporting said boom and for swinging it about an upright axisnear its material receiving end, a trailing con- Veyer including a headsection having an elongated generally horizontal frame, means supportingsaid head section frame and operable to move it forwardly along itslongitudinal axis, and means suspending the receiving end of saidstacker boom from the front end of said trailing conveyor head sectionfor relative swinging movement about an upright axis.

a. A conveyor stacking system including a stacker boom having an endlessbelt traveling over a receiving end pulley and a discharge end pulley,traction means intermediate ends of said boom for supporting it andswinging it on an upright axis, a trailing conveyor including a headsection having a frame, a belt on said trailing conveyor frame travelingover a discharge pulley at the front of said head section, meanssuspending the rear end f said stacker boom from said head section andimparting lateral stability to said stacker boom, said last named meansincluding a turntable assembly,

means mounting said turntable assembly for ad justrnent on a transversehorizontal axis rela tive to said head section, means including a jackfor adjusting said turntable assembly on said axis to level itlongitudinally'of said head section,

supporting and traction means for said head section frame, and. meansfor adjusting said head section frame relative to said supporting andtraction means to level said frame transversely.

5. A conveyor stacking system including a stacker boom having an endlessbelt traveling over a receiving end pulley and a discharge end pulley,traction means intermediate the ends of said boom for supporting it andswinging it on an upright axis, .a trailingconveyer including a headsection having a frame, a belt on said trailing conveyer frame travelingover a discharge pulley at the front of said head section, meanssuspending the rear end of said stacker boom from said head section andimparting lateral stability to said stacker boom, supporting andtraction means for said head section frame, and means for adjusting saidhead section frame relative to said supporting and traction means tolevel said frame transversely.

6. A convey-er system including a generally horizontally extendingstacker boom, a trailing conveyer having a head section, head sectionincluding a generally horizontal elongated frame, supporting means forsaid frame, means for adjusting frame on said supporting means tomaintain it laerally substantially level, and men, is pivotallyconnecting the front end of said head section frame to the rear end ofsaid boom, said last named mean being constructed to transmit lateralleveling forces from said head section frame to said boom whereby whensaid head section frame is adjusted to a laterally level position saidboom will be similarly adjusted.

7. A conveyor system including a generally horizontally extendingstacker boom, a trailing conveyor having a head section, said headsection including a generally horizontal elongated frame, supportingmeans for said frame, means for adjust .ig said frame on said supportingmeans to maintain it laterally substantially level, and means pivotallyinterconnecting the front end of said section frame to th rear end ofsaid boom.

8. A. conveyor stacking apparatus including a stacker boom, supportingmeans for said boom including a tractor intermediate its ends, atrailing convey-er including a head section, means suspending the rearend of boom from the front of said head section, said means providingfor pivotal movement of boom on an upstanding including cooperating ringand wheel means, and a feed chute within said ring and wheel means foraiding material from said head section to said stacker boom.

9. A conveyor stacking apparatus including a stacker boom, supportinmean for boom including a tractor intermediate its ends, a trailingconveyor including a head section, and means suspending the rear end ofsaid boom from the front of said. head section, means providing forpivotal movement of said boom on an up standing axis.

10. A conveyor head section including an elongated generally horizontalframe having a discharge puliey its head end, means for supporting andfeeding frame including front and rear transversely extending axles,means connecting at least one of said axles to frame for pivotalmovement on upri ht axes, traction devices at opposite ends of at leastone of said axles, me pivotally connecting both of said axles to saidframe for pivotal movement on a longitudinally extending horizontalaxis, jack means for adjusting the lateral slope of said frame relativeto said axles, a turntable carried at the head end of said frame belowsaid discharge pulley, means mounting said turntable on said head endfor adjustment on a transverse generally horizontal axis, and means foradjusting said turntable on said horizontal axis to make itsubstantially longitudinally level.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,044,547 Liggett Nov. 19, 1912 Number Number 10 472,033522,950

Name Date Dillig Nov. 25, 1924 Rib-bans Feb. 23, 1926 Porter July 3,1934 Blanchett Dec. 14, 1937 Levin Dec. 20, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS CountryDate Germany Feb. 23, 1929 Great Britain July 2, 1940

